Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 12, 1965 Page: 1 of 8
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., rs' rrlritinc Goff f jny
•oush Firet Stroat
Kentucky
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T®RH> AN" THIRniNTll YEAR (Eau.bfcshc.l M.-m-h 1. 185J
BASTROP (TEXAS) ADVERTISER AUGUST 12. 1965
NUMBER 24
proming
Is Lasting
jories
y: -. is over and for
f „;irv but (or som.' it
I lh«t will last
have cherish
oi mtKf'i im>
Homecoming and Rodeo
T: .it .f Yoahum
V v IVaH
i u Bathing Beauty Re*
[fcturday August 6 Ml*
w a . • i a trophy a
m. first and aecond
Pnvilla Zim
• Smithvillr and Miss
jri of Bastrop They
r,r,<i by the past Mtvi
Muss Shelia Gaytr
currently Miw South
<> pa-ik* Thursday
I vtrr OongreMman J J
PitkV State Senator
I H<m* and State Repre
Charlie Jungrmchei.
I^MMaemnv trusts Cong
Mrs Pickle, Rep
Ju-^mu'hd and Senator
. hnrwred with an in
• pf*-n at th*> Oty Hail
. , wing ftx parade
g !hr \n ■ rn an l>-gxm
>.--m th«>% were tr-jr-wt*
t, •# mpprr
• rrprewiittng 8eguin'
Sun Park won first
parade Second
•-« l > thr Austin A
-a. ind thin! In I>. k
•- ng -i i •. j> -tor
.:- th> i a at the
>Kwn Cffltrt *«•!«•
■fla,, thre - nights
tpls Position
Wvcrliser
Ur pr^ndtlc^n
Bastrop Public
Schools Survey
To Aid District
A survey, which is to be used
for study and data for the future
program of the Bastrop schools
and community for the period of
1965 • 1975, is being taken by
eight girls under the direction of
Supt I' J Dcxbwn
The information received will
be kept confidential and will be
usisi only for th<* purpose- of es
tahluhlng the needs of the Bus
t r> >p School District
tOOTRAIX SIIOKS LHHI Kll
AT MIMA HIGH HtUOOL
Football sIkx s were issued at
5 pm August 11 University In
terscholastic League rules per
nut the issuance of slxx>s i*i thus
| date with or^anizis) practice to
bogm on Augutt 16 It was pre
j vioualy reported that practice
| would start August 3
McDade Sock :v To
Have Hawaiian
Luau August 14
Tl*' McDade Historical Ix iety
m sponsoring Hawaiian l^uaa
on Saturday August 14. at the
v enic arid l autiful MeCormick
Ranch f wr mies east of Mc
T >arle
Barbecued chicken with festive
Haw a in fi «is will l> - serv.ri l*v
iimmti,* at i) i< J1 25 , p'.,t,
Hawaiian nmv and natsvf dan
ces V :il pnnide entertainment
Prorevd*. will fx- used to meet
the es'penses for restoration of
the oid llon-k Saloon wh;< h n>
• *n'A at- awarded a State of
Texiin Historical liuildiru; Medal
i*m Hie taukling now houMit thi
t Sinr.inK of a pn«wr museum
VEGUA
o ^ K JOB5
ELGIN '~
MCDADE
6a trop
v ^ 0
OIPPIWOS
Dt^Wp C&uittu
on Christmas
(F.ditor s Note: It was a day of violence — that
Christmas of 1083 at McDade. Homes were de-
corated with the traditional boughs of green — but
the streets ran red with blood!" The story, told
many times by old-timers, was written recently by
Luckett P. Bishop, Sr., and appeared in the July
issue of the Frontier Times. The Advertiser ia
indebted to the editor of that magazine and also to
the Author for permission to reprint it here, and
for the use of the accompanying pictures.)
Bt'DDY PRKl'SS
t mm') until
ik«?r p
,. /! his newspaper
• "'? " s armor year in
"" Afn-tl hr 4T' rpted n
fr r The fJid
a I H.ION \t\lt l\K^ TO IIIM
h an .in SI'Kl IAI MFKTINt,
>i;>r from th- S-uth The \n • -n it: |>-jf t, Auxiliary
Aaaxiaiwm will have a *( •(• me ting on
*-u Gtddings MikIi n""v ,s 1,1 ,v M 1".' <!
Preuaa worked j « *l 1' n ' ,:n' ' v
summer at Ttie l"«>* •' lancets ;■ t in* Jef
fail he enrolled at !>'is. ri
al Krertham where
(II « MBit li "I < OMMI K( I
i. r 111 I II I Is li I <M t ST1M,
• IM'ORM \ I H N I ill; I l* I
« F/l:t..r Jo.- (xirtkm
P1 ''III With Til'
'"purler. I'mms wa«.
'"lit' i ship h> Pub
;"'h Bi«.m
Earned rer<,,-niii(.r, for
w when he won
'■ fr<nii (he South
'*> t Coast Press As
'Be
"r 'lond p p.'
' d for aj^rieul
n m the t; u I I
elation
wT*>int," a Ini
'ten hy Pww«s
in 'oiuiiut writ
Pr« As<w.x'iat
'ner eom entlni!
• si award Tin
l,,d from i lie
n, iwist, P
lerce is r«sm
From 1SC3 to 1883. lawiessntsis prevailed in Bastrop.
Williamson and Lee Counties in Texas, especially in the
irea where tlx- three counties join. Bastrop County
,-fints into Williamson and Lee like a Comanche In-
i dian s arrowhead It was in and around this location
that the Notch-CUtters plied their trade
My soli; motive in relating this story is to correct
existing published versions of one of the bkKxliest street-
^oinfights ttiat ever occurred in Texas. The odds were
; SIX tO tWO.
I? tittk place in McDade. in Bastrop County alxiut
10 li on Oinstmas momins; 1883 It was held in true
Ve^nia Notch Cutter's fashion — that o{ heavy odds by
>btain:rK f.x."l | sit>ons all within Colt la pistol range,
pre an'an.: -d and executi<d according to plan.
Ye* the plan fa.led! In this open street fight the
tw.. men they had niarked for death escaped without
a sinsie scratch S-r.ie thirty five to forty five shots
were . xciianjjed When the ^unsnv>ke had cleared away,
tw men lay dead in the stree' and fo ;r were wounded
-■ >n< .u to die the next day ■ My father. Thomas P.
Bishop and h.s pers.«a; l -n« fa tor and true friend,
t.< ' . ( Milton ii i i runs: down the final curtain on
nit aw ry ;n the McD ei- ar- a
Mighty years havi ; ass<-l and you mijjht ask,
"W; wnte th.* story■? Well, is each Christmas sea-
*w .tppr a ic- i new M-rtwn is ;j>lat*>d. It is always
hffetmt
!'■ - •P >nii M..t childn-n r. -til; alive today,
;n & trop M< I .v;• San Ant-.mo and Beaumont
x..s i*; - . rcn Kiv>w t.'• re facts. While w.
ii> i priwjd ! "p ■ w< lo not irlorify gunplay anil
- Not i s<r.i,:i< <h it was ever fired by Thomas
!' It <■, .p or «. Milt-m t- any one of tiie s:x men
• .*.e i pre. t.i t-a f.na. s! -w l*iwn Since the McDade
' lit n ' i ri,- . . it has heen lirin! it any of tin
! if w . •■' .nviilved Yet the sons of
wfj. ki kaasi aid wounded and the sons of
• - P. «-'!••>«" M; ' • h.«v< refilled and st.il do reside
.r Bastrop C ■ i'11y N-. fi id has e\er rxalid lx tween
1 i B-slx>!" in-.! Mi;tons aixl the Oxwlmans Hasleys
p ■ a (• ! • <•< B. t% bnttliers (Jack, Hayw>)d
;• why t. . inflight" This is a n' *i qwM-.on
c. of : ■ ticw>afx'|-s th it published the stury. ivit
a sir e >:ie ra sed tins point It was not asked at thi
t.r ihI
I; w !- : that a m i • k In-fore the showdown
B.s! op and .V mr. Beatty almost had a i.ninf .:ht but
friend* i'>cried it Tlx' facts are thi writers .and
rejuirters did not know the tiue story They published
•if >mi it Km laser, fiiitu (vis. ins who did not know or
we rxit in McDade Texas tt.it Christmas morning
whet ■ n> were in mK ^iwt ami I tot lead was flying
thnx;. the a.. The ! reports were basetl mostly t-r.
hearsay
Th 'fa- sr.. iiwav <riM-s as I-- why life was <-
• ip -i Tex My ' •••t--ntion s that <sinditKMis tiie
envii -nmen' md hardships with which the early settler",
.f Tex •> r . Biintnip O'unty bad to contend wer>
|e ,ii . i isons < >nr grandparents and >;• it
: tnitp i rent p.iid a h ivy toll of life for the pea--i
atxi s-. urity tii it we enjoy tixlay Our early settler-.
had to icarn fie iessoti of survival which is the
isfUitit^
Ula-n
Santa Anna never forgot the part played by the
citizens of Bastrop in the revolution a^unst Mexico.
Accordingly, in his pursuit of the Texas Army he sent
one column of troops to Bastrop to wreak vengeance
on its inhabitants. The town was partly burned and
the women and children driven away This was a
part of the "runaway scrape " The survivors never
forgot that while one hand rjuided the plow, the other
might be forced to handle the rifle and pistol to protect
life and property
There are three hills in Bastrop County known as
the Knobs These hills have played a part in the history
of this area, as it was from them that one could see
long distances and ft im them that the savage Comanche
Indians would send up their smoke signals. At the first
- cnai, the early settlers would go to a stockade house
which could be defended, and send runners on horses
to warn the countryside.
In and around these hills starts Yegua Creek. In-
d ans infested its thickets Records of the land grants
made to families in June, 1831. in the Department of
I • a/os Division of Mina. represent this area. These
r< Mi 'ls also reveal the names of many families who
lost one or more members at the hands of the Coman-
che.-i "The average settler cleared the land as he built
his cabin He was never out of reach of his rifle and
p.stol, Hlj> wife and children always went along with
t «• , iihA, They expect to iia\e to fight the
Ind.ans who ami on raiding parties from what is now
Cory-: County the Owl Creek country. They swept
anoss the rmi n« prairies of Williamson County, through
ti-.e Yt gua section into the Knobs section of Bastrop
C'iiitj into Old Mina (now Bastrop* and on to set-
h cuts t> far s'Hit;: is Li Orange They were intent
ot: h ;rn;m; murdering scalping, and stealing horses
i'a ' ii fron a history of Bastrop as compiled by
Margaret Bell Joins June s lftlii. i.s the following
• i ia commentary "At this , .rly date . . . then were
no rii lusters of the gospel or no officer who might
;eg«t!l> perform a marriage ceremony. The Catholic
p-'ests m the missions f San Antonio De Bexar wen
bus;, converting the Indians and seldom left their mis
s.' n Iximes In Mina or Bastrop, a combination meeting
Ixkis. courth is. md danceiutll was l.iuilt by S. V. R.
I ggies'-m who was knlcd by the Indians in Ins own
dooryiird in
A fine code of lionor pi rvaded th embryo State,
md so it came about that marriage hy omtract was
legali/i i Hiis I ha\e fr om i pioneer. Mrs Cambell
Tavlor Marriages hy contract were drawn up in
svritiiu: signed by the contracting pair and witnesses
itwoi and were as binding as though they were li-
censes Sometimes it would be two or three years
ix fon a priest could be stvured to perform the mar-
riage ceremony
('n the very banks >f the Colorado River, n what
- r. iw the southern p.irt of the town of Bastrop was
a two-story frami Ixhi.sc with a room Ix'low and a
r>>• mi lixive Tins building was the meeting house that
Mr I ;gles'on had iiiiilt (>n otr •«, asion a pries' came
• ivcr from one of the missions \\ rd had been s(-nt
r.ong to all the siii'-I aiding country of h.s coming and,
is i .ii drew on peopl on fix it. in ox wagons and -".i
i si" ii k wen wciidm.' their way to the frame and
aim.; up tlx Colorado Riser bank
sill mill it \ XI I itnii'S
w mi \i;i I \ i \i \ l i; I tsli
ol I II t I Ills w I I h
\iu
p.. a"
tlllllfil«[|
** r Nuinei
, i
n the weekly And
"HI firjf
PHni-1
s do not end
He is aifid ,, (
ill i in; i p
'""I Will s p i nd ' han
,"1"* hi the hack ntv 11
hi*
'"n the Unotyix ' mills <t<
_ ^ Mis ,iik| i'|imil' job fi siona '111 •
„ l^iblishei K I
. 'S also in the ' r I D' Vhl
l«'i(i
... ' Sa'rav :
fH. fci I
F'f .... jp-JJ —pf- ^
1
"The upper room was lighted with tall candles in
tin holders, hung around the walls. A rough wooden
bench, nailed to the walls, extended around the room.
When all had arrived, some twenty-five couples pre-
sented themselves for marriage. Quite a few of those,
who had been united by contract marriage, had their
children with them. The good priest solemnly read the'
religious service of his church; children bom in con-
tract marriage were legitimate. After the twenty-five
couples had made or renewed the vows, the company
made a night of it, the Padre as jolly as the rest. Chil-
dren were placed on pallets while their fathers and
mothers danced. The Comanche Indians prowled by
night and it was safer to return home by daylight."
From 1836 to 1S62, settlers from "the States" came
in a steady stream. They raised cotton, corn and cattle.
McDade. Texas, was founded in the year, 1840. Named
after James McDade, it consisted of a few stores —
was a sort of trading post. Its development was cut
short by the Civil War.
When the heavy-hearted Confederate soldiers came
home, they found utter confusion — homes in ruin,
families scattered, no money with which to rebuild.
Union troops sent to govern the area were followed by
carpetbaggers and riff-raff
From the Yegua thickets came the "Dodgers" to
join with tiv riffraff. These were McDade's first out-
laws. They were despised by the settlers — those who
believed in law and order. Then the gang started to
i xpand. These few who knew the art of organization
and planning were joined by battle-hardened soldiers.
Thousands of head of cattle ran in the open country
of upi r Bastrop, Lee and Williamson Counties. For
four years very little branding or ear marking had
been o ne because all able-bodied men had been in the
Southern Army Cattle ran wild.
Blacksmiths were busy making branding irons.
When they made them they were registered in each
county hy their owners Then came the rustling of un-
branded or unmarked cattle.
The Texas Central Railroad was building its way
to HoM.ston. Texas After shipping pens were constructed
the price of cattle went up. The rustling continued.
When the railroad made the town of McDade its rail-
head in the year, 1871, the little village became a
Ixxitn town Buck buildings — a row of them — were
constructed. McDade had its full quota of saloons,
gambling houses, hotels, restaurants, blacksmith and
wheelwright shops, corrals for oxen, stables for the
stagelines. shipping pens, meat markets and other
stores The railroad "split" the town. Its rails ran
down the main street, and the depot was directly in
the center of the settlement.
McDade was often called "Tie Town" due to its
being the railhead assembly point for construction of
its Austin branch. In those days all such construction
was ace imphshed hy hand labor and mules First came
the survey crews and the cutting md clearing of the
tight of way Burning crews were followed by plow
crews to break the top sou Mule-drawn slips dragged
the n'ir: ujxin the roadlx'd Hills were cut down culverts
ami bridges constructed. Ties were hauled to the right
of way. and spaced for these wlv placed the rails and
P'i ill's
(Continued on page i)
comedy writing .t iff
at**' **■ i
i mm ' ' jfc :
j*!
j
Mi 1 l.ulc on a 11inetci ilay iluniig the wateinielon season ot 1 l'Bj|
B
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Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 12, 1965, newspaper, August 12, 1965; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth238065/m1/1/?q=wichita+falls: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.